The long-standing issue of seat-sharing within the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) for the Bihar Assembly elections now appears to be reaching a resolution. According to sources, the seat-sharing arrangement within the Grand Alliance has been finalized.
Patna: The seat distribution within the Mahagathbandhan for the Bihar Assembly elections 2025 has been largely finalized. According to sources, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has been allocated 135 seats, the Congress 61 seats, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) 16 seats. Concurrently, the Left parties—comprising the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPI(ML)], the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM]—have collectively been allotted 31 seats.
However, despite this finalized distribution, disputes persist between the RJD and Congress over claims to certain seats. The situation has gained some clarity following Tejashwi Yadav's return from Delhi, but the final candidates for some constituencies are yet to be decided.
VIP Allotted 16 Seats; Mukesh Sahani to Remain Part of Mahagathbandhan
Sources indicate that Mukesh Sahani's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has been allotted a total of 16 seats. On the majority of these seats, candidates from the Congress and RJD will contest, but they will use the VIP's election symbol. Consensus on the Deputy Chief Minister's post has not yet been reached, and this decision is expected to be made after the elections. Tejashwi Yadav will serve as the electoral face of the Mahagathbandhan, and the elections will be contested under his leadership. The allocation of seats to the VIP suggests an effort to provide balanced representation to all constituent parties within the Grand Alliance.
Disputed Seats Between RJD and Congress
Despite the seat distribution, conflicts persist between the RJD and Congress regarding specific constituencies. According to sources, the Congress is asserting its claim on some seats currently held by the RJD. Conversely, the RJD also intends to contest certain seats presently held by the Congress. The Left parties are likewise putting forth their claims on a few seats. Leaders of the Mahagathbandhan convened a meeting in Delhi, though Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and former President Rahul Gandhi were not present. It is believed that Rahul Gandhi had a telephonic conversation with Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi Yadav, however, did meet with Congress leader K.C. Venugopal.
The process of finalizing the allocation of specific seats to each party within the Mahagathbandhan is still underway. This ongoing finalization is the reason behind the delay in both symbol distribution and the official announcement of the alliance. According to sources, the RJD and CPI(ML) had reportedly even distributed party symbols to some candidates. However, late-night reports indicated that those who had received symbols were subsequently asked to return them. This suggests that the final symbol allocation will likely be implemented only after the complete and undisputed finalization of the seat-sharing arrangement.
